Tis The Season
by PhantomProducer
Summary: Two families, one holiday season. Mix in some dysfunction, and the fact that at least two of the attendees are retired superheroes, and a pinch of courage and hope. Makes for an interesting Christmas Eve, doesn't it? A continuation of the Of Time series, AU from Age of Ultron on. Two-shot. Completed.
1. Chapter 1

****A/N: I**** apologize for putting the author's note at the beginning of the chapter. HOWEVER, I have to put one up to warn newcomers that this is a continuation of a series I have termed the __Of Time__ series. They are stories in the Captain America/Avengers sections of movies on FF (and can be found in the My Stories tab on my profile page). Because it is a continuation, I have to warn you also that the character of Holly Rogers (née Martin) and her actions and interactions in this story, as well as additional original characters, are not going to make any sense if you haven't read the previous installments. Therefore, I am going to suggest you read them, as this is AU from the MCU continuity—from near the end of __Avengers: Age of Ultron__ on—and I have made a few changes that may catch you by surprise later on in the text. I know, it's a lot to ask you to read several additional stories before this, but I don't want you to be confused.

If you've already done so...well, welcome back. It will be a short foray into the Of Time universe, set five months after the end of _Darkest Before Dawn_. It was fun, jumping back to it, and experiencing a bit of Christmas in these hot summer months. I hope you'll find it interesting, as well.

With that being said, please, read on...

* * *

December 23rd, 2018

Snow and salt crunched under the tires of the truck as it maneuvered down the road. The terrain of the interior of the state had morphed, changed from mountains and forests to the coast and the sea, winter encompassing all. The black vehicle turned off the main road, a residential street just inland from the coast spilling out before it. The small, coastal town was behind them, and several large, expansive mansions were sprawled out, some with large displays and lights blinking as fiercely as they could in the daylight.

It was Christmastime in Sagaponack, and miles away from their own home, but they had made the choice to be there.

The decision had been made back in November, that particular evening passing decently enough. Steve Rogers, former commander of the Avengers and now simple civilian, was neck-deep in an assignment for his art history course. He had been enrolled in the online college since September, intent on earning a higher degree now that he had the time. With the founding of the Academy for Enhanced and Inhuman children, it fell upon several former Avengers to be instructors. Those who had formal training and the licenses to teach, like Bruce Banner, already had positions, but Steve could not operate in the same capacity. Nor did he truly aspire to that. In between taking care of his two young children, he hosted an after-school art program that mainly allowed the students something to do before dinner time. He hoped, once he got his degree, that he could parlay that into a more structured period, give some real lessons. (It had been pointed out to him that he did not actually need accreditation to do so, but his last formal training had been in 1940. It would do him some good to at least learn a bit more about modern art to help any future students if they wanted to experiment with the forms.) Frowning at his laptop, he blew out a sharp breath, blue eyes darting over the edge of the screen to watch as his son toddled after the dog. Grant, nearly two and a half years old, squealed as Bonnie, their corgi, yipped and sauntered around him, towing him with the chew rope in her mouth. Brown hair flopped over the little guy's blue eyes, and he giggled when he tugged the rope again. Snickering, Steve let out another breath, feeling hands upon his shoulders and relaxing into the touch.

Looking over his shoulder, a tiny grin came to his lips. Holly, his wife, bent further over the back of the couch and planted a kiss in his hair. She still worked in the archives department for the Avengers, which was always supplying her with new and different reports, photos and other such things to catalog and store for future perusal. Since it was a Saturday, she was home, spending her time either chasing after their son, cuddling their infant daughter Iris, or chatting with her publisher about a possible third novel (she had a storyline drafted and hidden in one of her folders on her computer, but nothing was definite yet). Her hand came up, tucking back some of her loose, brown waves behind her ear and she smiled in equal exhaustion.

"How's the paper coming?" she asked him, flicking her gaze to the laptop sitting on his thighs.

"It's coming," he responded, glancing back at the word document and also at the books surrounding him on the couch. Tiredly, he supplemented, "Slowly."

"Well, you've been at it for awhile," she remarked, glancing at the clock on the wall. Tipping her head towards the arch that separated the living room from the kitchen, she asked, "Want to take a quick break?"

Immediately, he moved his finger along the track pad, clicking on the save icon in the document.

"Yes, absolutely."

The laptop and the books were placed on the coffee table while Holly retreated briefly to the kitchen. She returned, two cans of soda for them and a filled sippy cup for their son. Handing off the drinks to her husband, she then turned and went upstairs, up to the nursery to quickly check on their daughter. Since she was still napping soundly in her crib, Holly was able to return soon enough, plopping down on the couch beside Steve and taking back one of the cans of pop. She asked after the parameters of the paper, wondering if he wanted her to proofread before sending in a final copy. Promising to ask to utilize her own formal training once he was finished, and if she had a moment to spare, he sank back against the cushions, something else weighing upon his mind.

Her dark eyes strayed from him to their son, the boy marching across the floor to his toy bin and swigging heartily from his sippy cup of juice, but her gaze settled back on him before long. The set of her face told him she suspected he was considering something, but would wait until he was ready to talk.

Draining his can of soda, he figured that he may as well get it over with.

"I actually have something to run by you," he murmured, wedging the empty can onto the coffee table between his books. Holly cocked her head to the right, shifting in her seat to face him fully.

"What is it?" she wondered, bright curiosity lining her features.

Unconsciously, he palmed his smartphone through the outside of his jeans, the device nestled snugly in his pocket. He had gotten the call a couple of hours beforehand, when Holly had taken Bonnie and Grant outside and he had been pulling lunch together. The memory of the call, of the muted desperation of the person on the other end leavened with dry wit, had him chewing the inside of his lip for a moment. Inhaling deeply, he took the plunge.

"What would you say to Christmas in Sagaponack? With Tony, Pepper, and the baby?"

Holly blinked at him, a little nonplussed. While she had nothing against the Starks or the newest addition to their family, she did not think that would merit an invitation to what was considered the summer home. Off her expression, Steve hastened to explain.

"Tony asked." Scratching the back of his neck, he adopted a sheepish look. "Actually, he kinda...begged for us to join him and Pepper, and Evie."

Holly's look of incredulity was met with Steve's frank honesty. The Stark pride was well known the world over, but the two knew there were instances in the billionaire's life where it had been broken. That this was one of those times still caught Holly off-guard, even with the sincerity in her husband's eyes.

"Weren't they planning on doing the holidays by themselves this year? Especially since Evie will only be a little over a month old?" she wondered. It was the truth; the Starks had only just welcomed their baby girl to the world the previous weekend. With all that they had to adjust to, to do, thinking about holidays seemed to be a lesser point of concern. Steve shrugged a shoulder, idly toying with a loose string on the outer hem of his jeans.

"They were, until Pepper's parents insisted on flying out and meeting them for Christmas," he declared, wincing in tandem with his wife at his words. While he had nothing against his own in-laws, he could not imagine having to host them so soon after the birth of one of his children. Grimacing slightly, he revealed how that was played upon with his friend. "They really want to meet their newest grandchild and, well, it was hard for Pepper and Stark to say no."

The brunette woman snorted audibly. "Probably because they were too sleep deprived and emotionally spent to say so."

Steve inclined his head, not about to argue against that sentiment. "Tony is hoping for a bit of back-up. Pep's already in his corner, but a little more couldn't hurt."

Holly's wince bordered on a frown when that was mentioned.

"Mr. Potts still doesn't like him, huh?" It was no secret that the man had taken an immense dislike to the fellow he called son-in-law, since Stark was all too willing to mention it in that past. He hadn't liked him since Pepper was his personal assistant, and it only increased when she accepted him into her heart.

"Unfortunately, no." Steve glanced over at Grant, who was currently flopping into his little bean bag chair and snuggling with the dog, and blew out a sigh. "I know what we had planned, but I don't want to leave him out to dry like this. Not when he's asking for help."

"I...I was looking forward to a Christmas with just us this year," she replied softly, the creeping edges of disappointment in her voice. After the all that had happened over the last year—the Avengers going to war with Thanos, nearly losing Steve to torture and chaos, and Iris's birth being the most prominent—they had come to the conclusion that, until the baby had her first birthday, they would spend the coming holidays as a family.

(Given that Steve had also retired from being an Avenger, she had joked that most people used their retirement to travel, not stay at home. He'd proclaimed he'd seen far too much of it, and without her or the kids, and he would be more than happy to discover what was out his own back door.)

Thanksgiving, even though they would be spending it with the others, would be happening at their home again that year. But Christmas...that was meant for the four of them. Well, five, including Bonnie. She couldn't help but feel a bit disheartened at potentially losing that.

"I know," he responded, reading the emotion in her voice clearly. Carefully taking her hand in his, he supplied, "This is a special circumstance."

The brunette woman beside him bit her lip, her brow furrowing as she considered the proposal. It wasn't an easy thing he was asking of her; it would be all but guaranteed that there would be some familial conflict, and it wasn't something either of them relished. But then again, neither of them would have to worry about pulling together a dinner for them, and they really hadn't gone anywhere since visiting her best friend in Maryland back in July. And Thanksgiving, while it would encompass a good portion of their friends, would be all their responsibility; it wouldn't be so bad to be somewhere different for the next holiday.

"I suppose Christmas by the ocean could be fun," she intoned slowly, running a finger over the scar above her eyebrow. "And the kids will like it. At least the one who can actually play outside will."

Steve grinned at her joking words, a flicker of hope lighting his irises.

"So I can tell him we'll be coming?" he asked. When she nodded her compliance, he exhaled in a form of relief. Leaning forward, he pecked a kiss on her cheek. "Good. I promise, I'll make this up to you."

Her eyebrows rose, and then she lifted a finger, pointing at him while seizing the opportunity.

"New Year's, just us," she stated, no room for debate left. After thinking for a few more seconds, she tacked on, "And a back massage."

Steve narrowed his gaze upon her, pretending as if he would consider the proposal, before letting out a long sigh.

"Yes, ma'am," he said, accepting the poke in his side and the kiss she planted on his lips before she got up.

And, true to his word, Steve and Holly had packed up his truck after church on the morning of December 23rd. The kids and the corgi were strapped into their seats, Grant whining a little at the prospect of a road trip and Iris gurgling as she bopped a stuffed cow toy around. A few hours—and four quick stops to change diapers and endure a toddler-sized meltdown—passed before the village appeared before them, almost picturesque with its snow drifts and decorated storefronts filtering by as they drove. Negotiating the turns, the house that Tony and Pepper owned was in sight, the soft gray siding stretching out as the building got nearer. Coming to the end of the gated driveway, the HUD display that had been installed in Steve's truck popped up, the accented voice of JJ (JARVIS's replacement was still operating, though Tony had recently started experimenting with one called FRIDAY) welcoming them to the property. Two Iron Legionnaires flanked the gate, though they remained still as he punched in the code he'd been given by Tony a few days ago. As the gate opened, JJ relayed that Mister Stark and his family were out at the moment, off to fetch a few last-minute goods for the next few days. Holly absently thanked the UI, habit now ingrained since it was also installed at their home, too, and Steve shook his head silently.

There were still times in which he could not believe what time he was living in, after what he'd grown up. He reckoned he would never truly stop, either, and so didn't fight it.

Parking the truck, he let out a sigh of relief, looking at the large house and feeling the memories of the place flood back to him. It had been at that house and that little village that Holly and he had spent their honeymoon, warm July nights spilling into hot, balmy days. Quite a contrast, in comparison to that moment.

"Well, this place hasn't changed," he pronounced, unbuckling his seat belt. Holly leaned forward, peering up at the house through the windshield and smirking.

"You're the one who has the memory to prove that's true." After cutting a fast look to him, she softened her smirk into a small grin. "But yeah, I don't think it has. Well, except for the fact that we're not on our honeymoon this time."

He nodded, letting out a slow exhale before Grant's squawks pulled them both back into the present moment. Iris echoed her brother, and the little corgi clipped into the seat between them began to shift and yip, sensing the change in the air. Following his wife's lead, he got out of the truck, releasing Iris's car seat and hefting it out, quickly swooping in and clipping a leash to Bonnie's harness before unhooking her from the center seat. On the other side, Holly got Grant out of his seat, his little travel backpack slung over her shoulder along with her purse. Carrying their children and guiding the dog, the two adults approached the house, intent on getting the little ones inside before attempting to bring in the rest of their things. The front door unlocked and swung open for them—a modification that had been built since the last time they were there—revealing the credenza by the front staircase. Having been designated rooms in the basement (for privacy, Pepper had told them, given that they would likely want it at certain parts of the upcoming days), they turned to find the staircase that led to it. They would have to go through the living room to a back hallway, but it would be worth it.

"Woah," Steve murmured, halting in place once over the threshold to the living room. "It looks like the Christmas display at Macy's exploded in here."

Looking around as well, she had to concede that he was right. The large, wide rooms had garlands and ribbons edging along the trim, snowflakes attached on the high ceilings. Silver and gold knick-knacks, ranging from reindeer to elves dotted the side tables, end tables, and empty spaces of shelves. Stockings were hung on the mantle of the fireplace, one for each of them (and a small, worn one with stains and tears bearing the name Jarvis), and another wreath was placed above that. Framed by the bay of windows was a tall, broad noble fir, capped with a star and laden with ornaments and lights. It glowed red and gold, the gentle blinks of it bouncing off the expertly-wrapped presents beneath it.

"Geez," Holly breathed, shifting their son in her arms and shaking her head. "I'm a little afraid to touch anything."

Steve chuckled, and then Grant started to wiggle and squirm.

"Mama, down!" he begged, and she complied, setting him firmly on his feet. His little boots clomped as he tore across the room, blue eyes wide as he stopped and stared up at the bedecked fir. His high voice reflected awe as he crooned, "Big tree."

"It is a big tree, bud," she agreed, sucking in a fast breath when Grant toddled towards the branches. Steve shifted in his stance, but both froze when the boy plucked a ball ornament and threw it. When it bounced harmlessly across the floor, the distinct of plastic meeting their ears instead of glass, both parents let out a gasp of relief. Spying the bit of ribbon trailing away from its top, Holly clasped her hands together. "Plastic ornaments at the bottom with no metal hooks. God bless them."

"Amen," her husband retorted. Clicking his tongue, he called out to the toddler, nodding to the flight of steps which led to the lower portion of the house. "C'mon, let's go see what our rooms are like."

Proceeding to the back stairs, they descended to the basement, the family room down there likewise decorated. Another tree, coated with ornaments portraying Steve's old shield and insignia, sat in the corner, and he looked heavenward for a moment.

"Oh, look at that," Holly crooned suddenly. "They set up the niche for Bonnie."

Looking over to where she was pointing, Steve snorted audibly. It was true; an alcove in the wall in the family room had been converted into a little dog's paradise. A comfy, wadded flannel bed with worn blankets piled inside it was set snugly within, emulating the one back home for her. A little wreath decorated with wooden dog bones was tacked to the wall above it, and several toys were perched around it as well. A mat was set out for the travel dishes the family had brought with for her, complete with cartoon dogs wearing Santa hats.

Putting Iris's car seat down, the blond fellow knelt beside the leashed animal, who was now squirming to get free and sniff her temporary home.

"You are gonna be one spoiled pup this year, Bon," he told her, scratching around her neck before unclasping the harness from the leash. At once, the corgi tore away from him, flopping into the bed and rooting her nose into the haul that had been left for her.

"Bon-bon!" Grant cheered, about to toddle forward to play with her, but his mother's tight grip on his coat made him pause.

"Let's go see your room, huh?" she enticed him, herding the child away from the now-nesting dog down the hall. Two guest rooms had wreaths upon them, each bearing the Rogers children's names. Striding up to the one designated for Grant, Holly turned the handle and opened the door. The room was not festooned like the others (like she had nervously anticipated). The light blue on the walls did have a few glittering snowflakes tacked onto them, and the bedding for the crib sported snowmen, but it otherwise remained as a rather typical nursery—minus the high-end furniture, which had Holly raising her eyebrows considering they would only be there through the twenty-eighth. In the corner was a plush rocking chair in deep blue, complete with moving stool. Drawn in by the sheer amount of stuffing, Grant shuffled over to the chair, making the grabbing motions with his hands to his mother. When she went to him, he brokenly demanded his travel bag, the bright-colored backpack dropped on the ground beside him. Unzipping it fast, the boy reached into it, withdrawing his two favorite stuffed animals that he could not do without.

"Raffie go here," the toddler declared, placing the stuffed animal directly in the center of the chair. Grabbing out another one, which was a sheep with his name stitched upon it, he stated, "Ship, too."

Holly smiled softly, warmth in her heart as her boy cuddled the sheep for a moment before placing it by the giraffe. Ship the Sheep was a baptism gift from Tony, and a small part of her was glad that the boy's still loved the toy from one of his Avenger uncles.

Steve, bringing Iris across the hall, called to his wife to check her bedroom out, too. Fearing a possible pink explosion, she was relieved to see that her daughter's nursery was a mild yellow, with similar snowflakes on the walls and the furniture of a lighter wood.

"Man, what do you think Evie's room looks like?" she breathed, taking in the richness of the furniture provided for them as her husband began to unbuckle their daughter from her car seat.

"Here, or back at the Tower?" he replied, glancing up at her and chortling. "That one probably is a princess's paradise. It likely has a real throne built into it somewhere. Tony definitely dotes on that girl."

Watching as Steve lifted Iris out and pecked her cheek, she smiled softly.

"Like he's the only father to do so."

The corner of his mouth lifted, the baby cuddled closer to his chest for a moment.

"Guilty," he conceded, another peck placed in his daughter's hair. Grant came running in to them, then, and he cleared his throat, looking from the boy to the baby. "Alright, you two. You're gonna have naps, and then we're all gonna see Uncle Tony and Auntie Pepper, okay?"

"No, no nap!" Grant insisted, shaking his head hard. Despite having stumbled in his boots, and the fact that he was rubbing his eyes, he would likely not go down without a fight. Sharing a look with her husband, Holly bent at the waist and ruffled her son's hair.

"How about a story in the chair, then?" she offered, sneaking a sly glance to Steve as Grant nodded happily. Herding him back into his bedroom, she helped him out of his coat and snowpants, boots following before he ran to the chair and began to crawl up onto it. Steve tended to Iris, the baby far more amenable to a nap and thus giving him the chance to get her to sleep and tend to their own bags. He made a couple trips in and out of the house, bringing in the presents and the last of their things. Once he'd put out Bonnie's dishes and filled one with water—the corgi gnawing on a chewy rope beside her alcove—he went back to the room that had been marked as his and Holly's. Pushing the gathered items inside, he only stopped to look around once he was done.

The soft white of the walls was broken up by the garland lining the window frame and doorways. One door was ajar, showing the en suite bathroom and their toiletry bags dropped onto the double vanity within. The king-sized bed was adorned with flannel sheets and crowned with a deep red comforter, a patterned blanket placed at the foot. And stretching over the side to one of the end tables was Holly, plugging in the monitors to the kids' rooms and her green sweater riding up to expose her waist.

Watching her for a moment, Steve grinned to his feet as he started to remove his outerwear.

"How long?" he asked her, toeing off his boots. A light chuckle came, and he glanced up as his wife flopped backward into the bank of pillows lining the head of the mattress.

"He was out by page three," she told him, sitting up again as he shucked off his coat and gloves. Her dark eyes roamed the room again, approval lining her gaze. Keeping her tone light, she jokingly remarked, "It's not the master bedroom, but I think we'll be fine."

Recalling as well as she did the master bedroom of the house, where they had spent a good portion of their honeymoon hours a few years ago, Steve smirked. Crossing over to the bed, he sat down on it, bouncing in his seat a few times before nodding.

"Yep," he pronounced, leaning back and patting the center of the comforter. "No dip in the mattress."

Holly giggled, leaning back into the pillows again. "So I won't roll on top of you."

Swinging his legs up, Steve took a moment to savor the wider bed and the room it provided. Then he looked over at Holly, at the distance between them, and he shrugged. Their mattress at home was smaller, but he liked the closeness of sleeping with her.

"Roll this way, anyway, sweetheart," he prompted her, shifting down to lay his head on a single pillow. "We both gotta nap while we can, too."

Eagerly, she complied, resting her head on his chest after kissing his cheek. Looping his arm around her, he let a slow breath crawl out of his nose before pecking her hair. And when he looked up, spotting the mistletoe strung from the ceiling, he was hard-pressed not to laugh or roll his eyes.

 **xXxXxXx**

It was an hour or two after lunchtime—which the Rogers clan had managed to figure out in the the kitchen that would make a chef think they had died and gone to heaven—that the Starks had returned from their outing, Tony carrying in a few bags while Pepper pushed a stroller in, the wheels clicking and whirring as they converted to ones that could roll easier on the floors. Hugs and handshakes were dealt all around, the two families able to greet another more amicably than any had thought possible, given what had happened a couple years prior. Time, and war, had changed things, but Tony and Steve could confidently call one another friend again, and their wives enjoyed closeness as well. Grant had hurtled himself at "Uncle Ton's" legs, smiling broadly as the older man snorted and smirked down at him. Iris, held by her mother, was carried over, the seven-month-old girl's brown gaze blinking behind the wisps of dark blond hair as she was introduced.

The purchases made were set to one side, coats and boots taken off before all adjourned to the living room. There, Tony and Pepper sank down onto one of the couches, little Evelyn Stark laid in her mother's lap. The toddler crowed about the new baby, but before he could run over to see her, his father stopped him. Kneeling down, the blond man saw his son's eyes widen, the little guy knowing his daddy was about to be serious with him.

"You can say hi, Grant, but she's a baby, remember," Steve told the boy, holding both his hands and looking him directly in the eye. "You have to be gentle, like with your sister. Be nice."

"Otay, I be nice, Daddy," Grant said, nodding and looking grave as he did so. Under his daddy's guiding hand, he was hoisted up onto the couch beside Auntie Pepper. Kneeling on the cushions, he put a bracing hand on her shoulder, peering down at the younger girl in her arms. Big blue eyes stared down as Evie shifted, yawning as her hands rose and fell, tugging at the ends of the sleeves of her romper. When dark eyes opened, assessing him, too, he smiled broadly. "Hi."

Evie blinked again, a short coo coming out as she stared back at the older boy. Carefully, he reached out, his bigger hand curling around her tiny one,his thumb squeezed in her grip. Holly gave out a soft exclamation at the sweetness of the boy, phone raised to take a few pictures while he wasn't paying her any attention.

"Her a pretty baby," he half-whispered, looking up at Pepper and grinning.

Tony's eyebrow rose, and he crossed his arms. "Better dial it back, Mini-Don Juan."

Steve rolled his eyes, straightening his stance. "Tony, he's just being nice."

Holly's dark gaze slid from the children up to the other parents and a smirk sprang onto her lips.

"Although, wouldn't it be sweet if they...?" she started to imply, lowering her phone and tucking it into a pocket. Immediately, the billionaire shook his head.

"Nope, never."

Pepper's elbow dug into his side, and he gasped as she smiled down at Grant.

"Don't mind him," she told the boy's parents. "It's cute."

"Hmm," the billionaire grunted, rubbing the sore spot exaggeratedly. Grant, oblivious to the conversation that had happened, gave the baby's arm one more pat before crawling off the couch, intent on finding Bonnie and playing with her once more. Sharing a fast look with Holly, Steve shuffled after the boy, Tony on their heels to give the women a little space to speak. The brunette joined the redhead on the couch, each of them tending to their girls and chatting for awhile.

"How are you surviving, Pepper?" Holly asked, her tone lowered so as to keep the question as private as possible. She knew how tough it could be, transitioning to motherhood and caring for a tiny human, even if her circumstances were not exactly the same as her friend's. Pepper looked up at her, the light of the tree catching and softening the smudges of darkness beneath her eyes. A little more careworn, a little more frazzled, but she still met Holly's gaze frankly.

"It's a challenge. One I don't think anything can ever prepare you for," she murmured plainly. "But..."

She looked down at the baby in her lap, a coo and dark eyes blinking up at her, and she smiled.

"...It's worth it," she breathed, bending and pressing a light peck against Evie's forehead.

"Yeah," Holly agreed, smiling gently and looking down at her own daughter. Flicking her gaze back up to Pepper, she cleared her throat and asked innocently, "So, are you planning on pumping during your first board meeting once you go back to work?"

Pepper threw her head back, laughing hard enough to shake a little. Raising a fist, she was giggling when Holly obliged her with a bumped of her own against it.

"It would be something else to see all those stuffy suits squirm," she pronounced, the gleam in her light irises clear. Holly lifted a shoulder, smirking and playing up the nonchalance in her tone.

"Well, you are a busy woman. You have every right to accommodate yourself while, you know, running one of the largest companies on the globe."

"And all while praying I don't laugh too hard or...yeah," Pepper retorted, sharing a knowing glance with the younger woman. Exhaling loudly, she tipped her head to the left. "But that's my life. How's yours been since we last talked?"

With the demands of being a new parent, there was little time for either her or Tony to be as in touch as they had been in the past. While she knew her friend and her family were alright, she knew this was her chances to get some details. A frown immediately came to Holly's lips, and the sharp breath that shot out her nose gave the other woman an idea of what was about to come, but she sat and waited for it.

"I honestly think my department head is gunning for me. After everything that happened last spring, he's been so passive aggressive and just a pain. If you don't eat, sleep, and breathe archives, you're useless. Having the base leader as a family friend doesn't help, especially when she pulled strings to keep you on the payroll."

Pepper inclined an eyebrow. Maria Hill had so much for all of them over the last several years. In the most recent past, she had shielded those with close attachments to the Avengers from Secretary Ross, as the man was intent on finding them and unearthing team members' locations when they went off-world to meet Thanos. Pepper was untouchable in that regard, but she had found out that Holly had been sent into hiding until interest in her had waned and the Avengers had returned. That Maria had effectively kept her employed was not surprising, but the antagonistic response was.

"Any option to move on?" she asked, a modicum of concern in her voice. "I know you're getting royalties for your books."

Holly canted her head. "That is true, but I'm no millionaire. I don't want us to be dependent on Steve's pension, or the extra he gets from hosting the art hours at the Academy. I don't want us to fall behind because of me, especially since he's in school now, too. But I don't know how much longer I have."

The other woman's eyebrow spiked higher. "So no plans at all?"

"Not so much a plan as a dream," Holly confessed slowly. It wasn't something she considered to be more than a passing fancy, but once it occurred to her, she couldn't entirely shake it. "There's this old storefront in the village nearby. It could be a great bookstore, but again, any savings we have is for the family."

As she looked back down at Iris, who had sneezed and kicked her legs, Pepper's gaze assessed her.

"I see," she nearly whispered, no other remark made on the subject and attention turning onto her own baby.

Across the room, the two men were leaning against the long, sleek bar. Tony and Steve were taking a moment to catch up themselves. Though both had effectively retired from superhero work, they still wished to remain involved with their friends and old teammates in some capacity. Rhodey was still acting in a consultant capacity to the teams, and had been out to California recently to inspect a prospective recruit, at Fury's behest, before meeting up with his sister's family. Steve told about how Sam and his wife Kay were going to meet her family in Ohio, and that Natasha and Bucky would be spending time at the Bartons homestead once they got back from another mission themselves. The team across the pond was busy as well, but they'd sent out photos of the office holiday party, one with Pietro and Wanda holding up a menorah in the background as Chapman and the others had various degrees of humor on their faces.

While in the midst of talking about finishing his first semester of college, Steve watched as Tony accepted a fluffy toy ball from Grant, tossing it underhand across the room for the little boy to run after. After Grant brought it back and the process repeated a few more times, the blond man snorted.

"My son isn't a dog, you know," he remarked, shaking his head.

Tony shrugged, grinning a little as the toddler grabbed the ball again. "He's entertained, though."

Exhaling slowly, Steve clicked his tongue, changing the course of the conversation.

"So when do your in-laws arrive?" he asked, watching without surprise as Tony visibly deflated.

"Tomorrow," the brunet man groaned, leaning harder against the bar.

Glancing around the living room, the former commander inquired, "Are they staying here?"

"No, thank God. They're staying at a hotel in town. Despite the fact that this is an eight-bedroom house, they insisted on 'not imposing.'" Stark rolled his eyes, letting out a bitter scoff as his friend frowned in sympathy. "They're there on my dime, as a peace offering, but William Potts is still such a gem about it."

"Oh, boy."

Another groan, and Grant returned, pressing the ball into his father's grip that time. Before he could do as Uncle Ton did, the little guy ran over to where the corgi was trotting around the tree, each barely avoiding crashing into it as they capered and cantered around the branches.

"Do you have any recommendations on how to deal during a major holiday after the birth of your child and in-laws who despise you?" Tony asked Steve after several seconds, scrubbing a hand over his forehead. "We avoided it at Thanksgiving, but, well…"

Steve glanced away guiltily, scratching the curve of his jaw. "Mine don't really have any problems with me."

The billionaire spiked an eyebrow, giving him a deadpan look. "Really? No problems at all, Mr. AARP?"

Steve shot him a smirk, lifting a shoulder.

"Age is a state of mind, not a number, Tony." When the brunet man continued to squint at him, the former commander sighed. "Okay, they did have a little issue with that at the beginning, but we've got it worked out. As it turns out, they were only mildly uncomfortable. My grandmother-in-law is worse."

Tony's eyebrows rose, and he opened his mouth to ask about that particularly nugget of information. However, he stopped himself from asking when he noticed Steve's pensive look, the seriousness invading him not something that could be glossed over.

"Look, all I'll say is just be polite; don't feed into confrontation but don't roll over and take it," he advised his friend, affixing a small grin as his son ran back to him. Lifting him up and sitting the toddler on his lap, Steve glanced up at Tony again, the set of his jaw stiffening as he stated, "And, if they really go after you or your wife's choices, handle it accordingly."

Stark nodded, leaning back in his seat. A few moments of silence reigned between the men, broken by the corgi's yips and Grant's chattering. When the little guy was put back down again, and allowed to crawl over to his mother, his gaze focused on his own wife and child.

"You know, I can take it when the old man goes after me," he confessed quietly, twinges of ire and pain reflecting in his eyes. "But Pep…she doesn't deserve it. And neither does Evie."

Fierce, strong emotion well up in him as he thought about Evie suffering for her parentage. His little girl didn't deserve to have slurs and hard looks thrown her way because of him. That he'd made mistakes in the past was all too clear, but they weren't hers to bear. Nor were they Pepper's, who was still proving that she was something of a saint to put up with him.

He could only hope that the in-laws would, for once, be of the same mind as him.

"I agree," Steve said, cutting through his thoughts. "Which is why we're here, remember."

Tony snickered without humor. "Trust me, I do. I'm also hoping the multiple children will also be a good deterrent."

"Because who doesn't love babies and toddlers, right?"

Tony clicked his tongue and pointed at him, unapologetic. "Right."

Steve snickered, the good humor surfacing and gone within moments. The brunet man began to absently rub at the center of his chest, chewing his lip as he tried to think of some solution. There was nothing for it, though; he had agreed to hosting his in-laws, had agreed for Pepper and Evie's sake, and was not about to back out. He just wished there was a way to make it all more...tolerable.

A hand came down on his shoulder, Steve giving him a couple solid pats in commiseration.

"You'll get through this," he said, his voice hushed. "You guys aren't on your own."

Dark eyes glanced up, and Tony smirked again. It was uneasy, and unsteady, but it was there.

"Thanks, Cap," he told him, the corner of his mouth lifting higher.

Steve grinned back, giving his shoulder one last pat. "Anytime, Iron Man."

The rest of the day wound down, the families converging upon the kitchen area once more, a flurry of bottles and tiny plastic ware for the children while the adults took turns eating when they could. The promise of the next day, of a catering company delivering a full-course meal, was something they all were looking forward to. Night came early, as it always had in winter, with Iris out by seven and Grant nodding off in his father's arms by eight. Evie, managing roughly four hours at a time those days, had gone down as well, Tony and Pepper hastening to their room to sleep while they could. Good nights were passed, and the families parted ways. Well, at least Steve went downstairs first. Holly came down shortly afterward, a big grin on her lips as she entered the bedroom.

"Pepper let me peek into the baby's room upstairs," she confided, heading over to her suitcase and unzipping it. As her husband tilted his head in curiosity, she reported, "She doesn't have a throne. Some really nice pieces, but nothing outrageous."

Steve chuckled, the reminder of his words from earlier making his shrug.

"Didn't think so," he responded, adjusting the pajama pants he'd changed into a few minutes before she'd come to the room. Combing a hand through his hair, he said, "Her mom is a little too grounded to put up with extravagant for an infant."

Holly snorted, pulling out the large flannel shirt and shorts she preferred to sleep in.

"Tony painted racing stripes on the crib. And has digital banner along the wall displaying her stats as recorded by JJ," she intoned flatly, inclining her eyebrows. "She puts up with it a little."

Steve chuckled at that.

"I suppose so," he murmured, padding over to the bathroom and getting out his toothbrush. Turning on the faucet, he cleared his throat and raised his voice to continue speaking. "Tomorrow's going to be interesting."

The sardonic nature of his words was not lost on his wife, who let out a hard laugh.

"Yeah, no kidding," she retorted as he ran the toothbrush under the water and scrounged up the toothpaste. Her soft footsteps heralded her arrival to the bathroom as well, her own toiletry bag poked at for a minute. Glancing up at him while he brushed his teeth, she asked facetiously, "Think it's too late to hide out in Maryland?"

Steve couldn't suppress the snort coming out of his nose, and he rinsed the foam from his mouth shortly afterward.

"Given that you told me Sarah and Aaron are in Virginia at the moment, it might be a little difficult to get into their place to hide," he replied, toothbrush rinsed again and placed in a holder. Resting his hip against the vanity, he inquired, "Do they even have baby stuff yet?"

Holly smiled to herself at the thought of her best friend. It had been a few months since they'd visited her and her husband in Annapolis, and it was during that visit that the petite blonde woman had confessed that she might be pregnant. Keeping it a secret as requested, Holly was overjoyed to share the news with Steve when Sarah finally confirmed it a few weeks later.

"They have a couple things," she professed, though she knew that her friend only possessed a few pieces of baby clothes. The weight of the coming day was starting to sit upon her shoulders, and she let out a heavy sigh. "Oh, well. We'll be fine."

Her husband nodded, before stepping away from his spot and coming up behind her. Palms rose and started rub up and down her arms, attempting to soothe her worries. Idly, she wondered if he was providing himself some comfort in the action as well doing so for her. He bent and kissed her temple, meeting her gaze through the mirror.

"Here's hoping," he muttered, another peck given before he turned and left the bathroom. It was all they could do for the moment. Hope, and pray, that the following day would be better than they were all anticipating it to be.

* * *

 **A/N 2:** Try to keep that hope alive, Steve. You're gonna need it.

This is shaping up to be an interesting foray, huh?...I'm enjoying myself, for sure.

Remember, this is only part one. Read on for the exciting conclusion!

Just as a reminder, I own nothing from the MCU, nor do I own any other pop culture references made in the text (Marvel comics, etc.).  
Thanks for reading, please review, and I'll see you all for the next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

December 24th, 2018

Christmas Eve had dawned, the sky overcast and snow drifting down lazily, the brush and reeds in the sands covered even more than before. The roll of the waves was stirred further by the light winds, and the cold air carried the tang of salt along with the chill. Both Rogers and Stark families awoke convened on the main floor for breakfast, the sense of what—and who—was coming hanging over the adults. The children, thankfully, were ignorant of it all, Grant instead chattering about leaving out cookies and milk for Santa Claus later that evening, and wanting to go outside in the snow and play. Secreted presents had found their way under the tree, Steve and Holly's batch joining the offerings made by Pepper and Tony. Evie had slept longer than been expected, and Pepper feared that meant she wouldn't nap well during the day, but it couldn't be helped.

As promised, the catering company arrived in the early afternoon, commandeering the kitchen to prepare everything for the coming dinner. Holly did eventually take Grant outside, along with Bonnie, the corgi bounding along as the toddler tried to get ahead of his mother once they were out the door. Expending his energy could only be a good thing, Tony thought, his nerves and preemptive irritation surfacing as the hour for the Potts' arrival drew nearer.

Though casual was preferable those days, Stark had no wish to give his in-laws (or more specifically his father-in-law), anything to pick at or disparage. Semi-formal wear, therefore, had become required for the evening. His layered tee had been traded for deep red button down, capped with a black jacket and pants. His father's watch was perched upon his wrist, and he would rub at it and the center of his chest on and off. Sometime between dressing and returning to the living room to wait, he'd found his way to the bar, one of the bottles of wine snatched up and a healthy amount poured out for him to sip.

Soon enough, the text came in on his handheld, and he sighed softly as he read out the message.

"They're on their way," Tony mumbled, fidgeting with the glass of wine in his hand. Glancing down into the nearly empty glass, he groaned, "God, I need something stronger."

From his spot on the couch, feeding Iris her bottle of formula, Steve didn't bother to hide a joking scoff. As per the request, he too was dressed well, a jacket pulled over a dark blue sweater and good slacks. He shifted, a little discomfited with the get-up (dressing like that for church or a gathering that dictated it didn't really bother him, but it seemed at odds with what should be happening at home), but he settled before long.

"You go any stronger, you'll pass out in the turkey," he remarked lightly, trying to coax a smile from his friend. The best Tony could manage was a halfhearted smirk, fingers twitching the stem of the glass again. Before he could answer back, Pepper appeared, a flush in her cheeks and Evie in her arms. She had changed from her bathrobe into a dress of deep green tartan, her hair loose around her shoulders. She looked beautiful, glowing despite the tiredness that made up her days. Making a beeline for him, she darted a glance to the empty glass in his hand. Shaking her head, she moved closer to her husband.

"I'll take that, you take her," she negotiated, passing their infant into his arms before plucking the glass away. The nonchalant air she had around her made him pause, since he had seen the charge of energy in her irises. Glancing down at his daughter—now bedecked in a romper and attached skirt that had "My First Christmas" stitched into it—he snickered.

"I see what you're doing," he told his wife, Pepper lifting a shoulder as she went towards the kitchen.

"As planned, honey," she called back to him, disappearing through the swinging door. Tony chuckled, letting out a few more of his nerves, cradling his little girl a bit closer.

"Alright, Evie, you ready for this?" he asked his infant daughter. Dark eyes blinked up at him, and she thumped her fists against the sparkly skirt of her dress, and he sighed. Reaching up and adjusting the bright red bow on the headband she wore, he muttered, "Of course you are. You'll get swarmed with grandparent love."

The sliding glass door leading out the back patio slid open then, Holly and Grant hustling inside. Quickly, the young woman stomped off her boots, hastening to get her son out of his winter wear and bring him downstairs to change. Bonnie was likewise released from her bonds, shaking off the snow before hurtling away through the house, yipping as she went. The little guy pouted a bit, sad that he couldn't play outside any longer, but he went with his mother, Steve getting up and following with Iris. An encouraging look was shot to his friend before he disappeared down the steps, and the billionaire could only accept it.

The rental car was creeping up the drive by the time the Rogers clan had come back upstairs, taking Pepper's direction to stand and wait with them in good humor. Steve was still holding Iris, the baby's white dress and leggings encumbered by the glittery gold tutu skirt standing out. Holly had gotten changed, having donned a light blue dress sporting a snowflake design. Their boy had been wrestled into a white sweater, blue reindeer stitched into it across the shoulders and hem, and little khaki pants encompassed his legs.

"I feel like I'm a doll on display," Holly muttered, hoisting Grant up a little higher while trying to brush down the skirt of her dress and remain standing still. Steve snickered, inching closer to her.

"Well, I have been calling you doll for years," he riposted, trying to keep the moment as light as possible. The mild teasing earned him an eye roll and a smile from her. Grant, however, shook his head hard.

"Not a doll, you my mama," he proclaimed, arms going around his mother's neck while smushing his cheek against hers. That got her to laugh, and she noisily smacked a kiss in the boy's hair.

"Thank you, sweetie."

Tony and Pepper, of course, had heard all of the exchange, but neither of them could do more than give their friends watery grins as thumping steps came up to the door. Three hard knocks rebounded on the outside (the automatic controls had been turned off for the day), and Pepper, taking a deep breath, strode up to it and opened it.

"Mom, Dad, it's good to see you," she said, smiling broadly as she stepped back and allowed her parents inside. In their late sixties, William and Barbara Potts looked well for their age. Barbara's once red-gold locks had faded to white by then, laugh lines by her mouth cutting deep into her skin. A few freckles were scattered over her nose, and she stood proudly in a powder blue pantsuit. The older man had thick rimmed glasses perched upon his face, fogging up a bit and sliding down an aquiline nose. Washed-out green eyes glinted hard over the rims, the creases in his brow standing out. He was of a height with Steve, but the slight hunch to his shoulders spoke of him once standing taller. He was soberly dressed in suit and tie, the quality of both only a few steps lower than his son-in-law's. The Potts family wasn't outrageously wealthy, but had done well enough. It was only in the last two years that Mr. Potts had retired, selling his successful consulting firm to his younger partner, and Mrs. Potts had left her position as marketing director for a local theater. Now they had the time to see their second-oldest daughter, to share in her life.

And stick their noses in Tony's, he mused glumly, cuddling his baby girl closer at the thought.

Barbara smiled, stepping up and hugging her daughter. "It's good to see you, too, Pepper."

The older couple shed their coats, a large bag of presents stored beside the credenza. As their coats were slung over the banister of the stairs, William removed his glasses and wiped them clean. Once the were back on his face, he squinted through them to the others gathered nearby. Steve felt Holly sidle closer to him, the coolness in the older man's gaze chilling them both.

"I thought this was going to be a family affair, Virginia," William intoned, a modicum of irritation in his reedy voice. A wave of tenseness ran through them all, but Pepper seemed to experience the brunt of it. The use of her given name raised her hackles, but she tried to maintain her pleasant attitude. It had always been like that with her father. She could deal with it, like she had done in the past.

"It is," Pepper said, gesturing for their friends to step forward. Pointing to each of them individually, she introduced them all. "This is Steve and Holly Rogers, and their kids, Grant and Iris. Their family is joining ours this year. Technically a family affair, still."

Barbara's eyebrows inclined, a look on her face that should have been concern, but still seemed to more put out than anything else.

"Nowhere to go?" she asked, sotto voce. Catching her deliberate tone, Holly flinched, but otherwise maintained a pleasant expression. Steve, cradling Iris in one arm, slid the other around her waist, silently supporting her.

Pepper's smile dimmed further, but she managed to hang onto it and shake her head.

"Taking it easy on air travel, since Iris is seven months old," she informed them. Dipping her chin in the other family's direction, she stated, "Her parents either come to New York or they all go to Minnesota, but not this year."

"Hmm," the older man grunted, his wife giving him a tired look.

Grant began to squirm, trying to escape from his mother's hold as he was becoming bored with the proceedings.

"It's nice to meet you both," Holly said, putting her boy down. Right away he ran, heading directly for the tree. Following after him, she threw over her shoulder, "Excuse us."

The older couple nodded, the woman pasting a bland smile on her face while the man let a slow breath out his nose. Steve dipped his chin as well, sauntering after his wife and son while patting his daughter's back. As they took refuge by the tree—where Holly admonished Grant to only pet the presents, not open them—Pepper began to steer her parents over to where Tony was standing.

"Come on over and meet Evie," she bade them, her smile becoming genuine again as she looked upon her husband and child. Tony flinched almost imperceptibly when William Potts was within a couple feet of his little girl, but the billionaire hid it well.

"Not sure why you went with that name," the older man groused, shooting his daughter a hard look. Barbara rolled her eyes, nudging him slightly with her elbow.

"William," she chided halfheartedly, her gaze focused on the baby. Pepper, however, was not about to let the comment slide.

"Considering we named her after her Great-Granny Potts and her paternal grandmother, it's not so bad," she told her father, eyebrows inclining the barest fraction. The older man sighed and dipped his chin, as if conceding an argument rather than understanding the sentimental value in Evie's given name. Tony stepped forward then, flashing a brilliant (yet obviously fake) smile.

"Hello, Mr. Potts," he greeted his father-in-law, almost daring him to ignore his presence. Before the older man could make a choice, the brunet fellow turned his grin on his mother-in-law. "Merry Christmas, Barbara."

The older woman smiled back, not immune to the Stark charm. William rolled his eyes and gritted his teeth at the blatant move.

"Mr. Stark," he ground out, as if doing so was equivalent to having his teeth pulled out.

"Anthony," Barbara gushed at him. Opening her arms, she waited as Tony passed Evie into her care. People could say whatever they wanted about his in-laws, but at least he knew they wouldn't actively harm his child, and so letting the girl's grandmother hold her was no real issue. The older woman cooed at the babe, finger tracing over the tiny Christmas tree sewn onto the fabric of her dress, and grinned wider. "What a precious darling. Isn't she, William?"

For the first time, William Potts actually looked at his granddaughter, his sour expression lessening somewhat.

"Yes, Barbara. I can see how she takes after her mother." His gaze flicked up, the corner of his mouth quirking and telling Tony the insult was intentional.

The billionaire snorted, unable to resist the urge to snark. "Yeah, must be the brown hair. Or maybe the dark eyes."

"Tony," Pepper whispered, fingers closing around his wrist to prevent him from saying more. Looking down at her, at the pleading glint to her gaze, he clenched his jaw, stemming the thousands of retorts roiling through his mind for her sake. He just had to get through dinner, and presents, and then they would be done for the night.

And repeat the process the next day, but he would have the time to refill his liquor stores in that time.

One of the swinging doors to the kitchen opened, a woman in her thirties and with pinned back black hair approached Tony and Pepper. She was the head caterer, responsible for dinner in its entirety.

"Everything's ready, sir, ma'am," the caterer intoned, melting away again as soon as the announcement was made. Taking the prompt, Pepper opened her palm, holding it out to her parents and beckoning them further into her home.

"Let's go eat," she told them, leading them towards the dining room. Barbara nodding, rocking her granddaughter as she followed Pepper.

"Sure," William said, following close behind. "Catered, huh? None of that fancy, frou-frou stuff?"

Stark gritted his teeth hard, hands going deep into his pockets as they walked away. From across the room, Holly had Iris in her hold, instructing Grant to keep a grip on her skirt and go with her as well. Steve lagged behind, tucking his own hands into his pockets and heading over to his friend.

"No, Dad, pretty traditional fare," Pepper was saying as they went, Holly shutting the door behind them all with her heel. Left in the momentary quiet, the billionaire and the former commander let out twin sighs of exhaustion. The darker-haired man turned to his companion, clearing his throat after a second or two.

"Did Thor leave some of that super-strong ale with you, by any chance?" he asked, the desperation deep within outlining the humorous undertone of his words. The god has recently come back to Earth for a brief visit, to apprise the team of the situation back on Asgard. Upon discovering that the holidays, or specifically Yol, were so close at hand, he'd eagerly prolonged his trip, securing gifts for his friends after traveling back and forth multiple times. Tony himself had been mailed—thanks to Maria Hill—a gift of a necklace tooled with runes for Pepper, a single protective charm for Evie, and a translated manual of war machines from the Learning Halls for himself. However, he'd heard tell that the special ale had been brought back, too, and given to a select few secretly. The blond man before him frowned and shook his head.

"Normally, I'd say that it would be a bad idea…" Steve trailed off, before reaching into his suit jacket and withdrawing a small flask from an inner pocket. Wiggling it between his fingers, he muttered, "But I feel like I need a drink, now, myself."

Tony smirked, nodding at the bar set off to the side. Quickly, the men went about assembling glasses of scotch to take into dinner, each of them glancing over their shoulders to watch out for being caught. Which they inevitably were, as Holly had come back into the room to find them after situating her children at the table. Finding them at the extensive set-up along the far wall, she crossed over to them and let out a weary sigh. The indulgent grin she gave them lessened when she noticed the flask in her husband's hand.

"Please, not too much, fellas," she begged, glancing between the two of them. Her hands began to curl around the ends of her sleeves, the nervous habit still strong as ever. "We've got two babies and a rambunctious toddler to take care of."

"Just a drop, hon," Steve told her, pursing his lips and shaking his head to reassure her.

"Yes, dear," Tony remarked, giving her a mocking smile. When she merely stared at him, he dropped the smirk, a tired breath exhaled. Sincerely, he stated, "Holl, really, I don't want to be drunk. But they're just so…so… _no_."

He groaned that last word, and Holly could stop a nervous giggle from getting through. She took the point, then, and just sighed. They were adult men; she could not and would not forbid them. Still, she knew the stuff in the flask had the power to even get Steve a little buzzed, and if Tony had any…well, who knew what could happen?

"Be careful, that's all I'm saying," she iterated, giving them each a look before she stretched up on her toes and gave Steve a kiss on the cheek. True to his word, he only tipped a dribble of the stuff into Tony's glass, and doubled the amount for himself. It would not be enough to get anyone drunk, but it could get them some calmed nerves. When she stepped back to head towards the dining room again, William's voice could be heard asking about whether the host and his guests would be joining them soon. The sneer in his tone was unmistakable, and was not aided by Barbara's croon to sit and wait patiently. Holly bit her lip, and swiftly pivoted on her heel to walk back to the room. When she was out of sight and earshot, Steve took in a deep breath, gaze focused on the bottle of scotch still sitting on the bar.

"Huh," he muttered. Before the brunet man beside him could ask what he was thinking, he wiggling the flask again and tapped the scotch bottle with a finger. Deliberately sliding his gaze from it to the dining room door, he murmured, "Maybe we should share the wealth. After all, it is Christmas."

Understanding immediately, Tony's lips stretched into a wicked grin.

"Devious, Rogers. Let's do it."

Approval given, another glass of scotch was poured, and Steve was generous enough to add a drop more than what was given to Tony. The two men nodded in commiseration, and then they went to the dining room, Steve holding the extra glass still. The table was set with a pristine white cloth, a crimson runner going down the length of the table. A centerpiece of holly and mistletoe (Steve nudging his wife with his elbow and smirking while she rolled her eyes) surrounded a couple of fat, sturdy candles. The china was clean, as well as the cutlery, crystal wine glasses placed for the adults.

The meal had been set out by the hired catering staff, the black-garbed bunch fading into the background (the kitchen and the gaming room were their domain, so they at least had a place to break before having to pack up leftovers and then head out). As Pepper had promised, it was mostly traditional food set out: turkey and ham were sliced, cheesy potatoes joining the mashed and sweet varieties placed in the bowls. The sideboard held different wines to go with the meal, one white and one red to start with already on the table. Stark took the place at the head of the table, Pepper sitting adjacent on the right side. The table itself was long enough to seat at least ten people comfortably, so Holly and Steve sat on Pepper's side with the children, and Barbara and William sat on the other. With the two baby girls in bouncers on the floor (Evie napping, and Iris gurgling while swatting at the dangling toys on hers), and Grant in a high chair next to his father, the adults all took their seats.

At Barbara's insistence, grace was said before they ate (Tony rolling his eyes but zipping his lip to keep the peace), and once the plates were passed around to dish up, Steve passed the glass of scotch to William. The older man nearly fell upon the offering, though not a word of thanks was given before he started slurping it down.

A brief flash of alarm went through the blond man, but since Mr. Potts settled in to eat with an almost dazed and dopey look on his features—and Stark had visibly relaxed at the head of the table—he let it go.

Conversation had started off slightly stilted, but when Holly asked Barbara about the rest of the family, it allowed for things to flow. Pepper's two sisters were doing well, the grandchildren having grouped together to send them a family photo. William muttered something about how it was a shame the whole family couldn't do so, but his comment was lost when the brunette woman merely stated how lovely it was and how cute the matching sweaters were. Able to jump off her own point about her own family's tradition with ugly sweaters, she and Pepper were able to keep the back forth light enough. With each passing second, Tony looked a little happier and less drawn, and Steve could feel a bit of the tension in his own shoulders dissipate. Work became a topic of discussion eventually, and was thought to be relatively safe.

"And you, Holly, are you…" Barbara trailed off, glancing in Steve's direction and struggling to find the right words, "in the same line of work as your husband?"

The blond man grinned as he stared down at his plate, taking a fast bite of food before his son crowed for a dinner roll.

Holly snickered, and shook her head. "I'd be retired, if I were. No, I work in archives. I also write."

Barbara smiled and nodded pleasantly, while William shrugged a shoulder.

"Well, that's alright. Not every woman can run a massive corporation," he murmured, his words slurred slightly as he poked at his serving of ham. Peering at her over the rims of his glasses, he croaked, "I'm sure you like it where you are."

The tenor of his phrasing struck Holly, the feeling that he was being subtly disparaging digging into her as she looked over at him. Reaching for her glass of wine, she took a sip to fortify herself.

"I, I find the projects that I'm assigned stimulating," she remarked, a little more subdued than earlier and mentally kicking herself for the verbal stumble when she spoke. The corners of Steve's mouth turned down in a fast frown, though he banished it as he laid a palm between his wife's shoulders.

"She's helped us a few times directly in the past," he reported plainly, a measure of pride in his voice. "She has a knack for finding the devil in the details."

Barbara's eyebrows inclined, and curiosity bloomed in her irises. However, before she could inquire further about how the younger woman had helped the Avengers in the past, her husband let out a hard snort.

"Though with two small children, I would think your priorities would change. For the better," he said, patronizing even in the grin he directed at her. Her spine stiffened under Steve's hand, and he began to silently pray that she wouldn't string the man up from the rafters due to the implications. He had also bristled—after all, he was familiar with working mothers, his own being one of his first examples—but he was biting the inside of his cheek to keep the peace.

He had promised to be there for Tony and Pepper, and he would see his promise through. Even if it meant bleeding from the mouth to stop himself from making the other fellow do so, too.

(At the head of the table, Stark had taken Pepper's hand in his, squeezing hard after she'd flinched at the remark, too.)

Holly took in a few deep breaths before giving a strained smile. "Well, one of us has to work while somebody gets his bachelor's degree."

Steve blinked at how fast she passed the buck onto him, but merely nodded in confirmation when the older couple looked at him again.

"Oh, you're working on your degree?" Barbara cut in again, concentrating on the blond fellow. "What for?"

With the focus of the conversation shifted, the brunette woman nudged her glass over towards Tony without seeing.

"Pass the pinot noir, Tony," Holly requested in a low tone, using the ongoing discussion as a cover. Without looking at her, he gestured to her glass.

"Way ahead of you, sister," he replied, and when she glanced down, she blinked. It had been filled without her noticing, and she grinned at him gratefully. Pepper winked and smirked at her, her own glass topped off with chardonnay.

Picking up the glass, Holly tipped it in a subtle salute to her friend, the two women indulging in the strong taste and tannins before a hard sigh cut through the air.

"Should you be drinking that?" William wondered, staring around his wife to his daughter and folding his arms over his chest. Raising his eyebrows, he continued, "What with a newborn and all?"

Pepper tilted her head away from him, ostensibly to check on the baby nearby. Holly, however, caught the eye-roll she indulged in since her father couldn't see it.

"Dad, I have some stored already for Evie tonight," she remarked lightly, looking up again before glancing down at her chest. William glanced away, squirming in his seat and grumbling uncomfortably. Letting a slow breath out through her nose, she continued, "One glass won't hurt."

The older man snorted, taking a long sip from his scotch glass, and then from the white wine in front of him as well. Holly shifted in her seat, her shoulder pressing against Steve's arm, and he could practically hear her brain screaming for freedom. Barbara's attention went to Pepper, telling her about the last visit they had taken to her youngest sister's home, and William sank back into his seat, shoveling more food down and grunting occasionally. Glimpsing his wife out the corner of his eye, Steve sighed softly and leaned closer.

"I'm booking you a spa day, I promise," he whispered to her, feeling all the more guilty for convincing her to agree to come. She slid one hand under the table, patting his leg and let out a sigh of her own. It wasn't his fault that Pepper's dad was a tool; she had expected tension, but the level it was at was not something any of her family could prepare for. She felt bad for the Stark family, and how much worse it could be if he or Pepper did not have form of support with the guy.

Holly cut her gaze from him to William Potts, the fellow draining the last of his scotch and setting the tumbler down. Barely looking in Steve's direction, he shoved the glass across the table at him, gesturing for a fill-up at the blond. Icy blue eyes shunted from the glass to the older man, and Steve's lips set into a thin line. Not breaking the eye contact, the former commander of the Avengers palmed the glass and pointedly set it in the center of the table, refusing to play into the power move the man was trying to engage him in. William inclined his eyebrows, sipping from his half-filled wine glass and turned in his chair to face his wife, cold shoulder engaged.

Taking the opportunity to hold Steve's hand, she squeezed his palm gently.

"And you're gonna get the motorcycle jacket you've been eyeing up online for the last few weeks," she swore to him, the feeling of being affronted not dissipating quickly. He may have convinced her to agree, but he was participating in the trip just as much, and it wouldn't be any easier on him to sit with such a snide man. Especially since he basically just treated him like he was less than. "My treat."

Steve dipped his chin, squeezing her fingers back. "Deal."

At that point, their young son was squirming in his chair, having finished with his meal and wanting to get down. Seizing the opportunity to distract himself, the blond man extracted Grant from his high chair. Holly also glanced over at Iris, the baby cooing and making spit bubbles in her bouncer. Since she had also finished eating, she decided to get the baby, the remaining adults at the table ready for after-dinner treats and such.

A few plates of cookies and other goodies were set along the sideboard in the living room, the catering company taking it upon themselves to have hot cider and hot chocolate carafes placed upon the bar along with the remaining liquor. As the small party found their way into the room, Tony broke off from the pack, palming a handful of bills and giving them to the head caterer, telling them to come back in the morning and to have a happy holiday. The black-garbed staff melted away then, and after doing a check on a nearby digital display (the Iron Legionnaires on the property holding firm in their places), the billionaire went over to the bar. Rather than indulge in another—and most likely disastrous—glass of liquor, he tipped out a helping of the cider before heading over to one the couches near the center of the room.

With it being Christmas Eve, the presents around the bottom of the tree were not yet labeled for Santa, but it was clear to his eyes that the toddler did not care at that moment. Instead, with permission given by his parents, the young boy went ham on the first box his dad pulled out for him. Dropping into an armchair, Tony watched as Grant hastily ripped at the wrapping paper, the glittering candy canes forgotten as his big blue eyes went wide. Holly, seated on the far end of one couch, raised her eyebrows at the wooden-block train set as she sat the baby up in her lap. Her son began to hop from one foot to another as his father passed his thanks along to the Starks. Once the paper was completely off the box, the little guy ran towards it, grabbing it up and lifting it high.

The brunet man blinked rapidly. The kid definitely was taking after his dad, no question about it.

"Daddy, look!" Grant cried, giggling as he continued to toddle around with the heavy box lifted over his head. Steve's eyes widened, the tremor of fear in his gut slowly overtaken by pride. He truly smiled then, getting down onto the floor and watching the boy wander with his prize.

"Holy cow, bud, you got that all by yourself!" he crowed, putting his hands to his cheeks and feigning astonishment. Holly shook her head, cuddling her baby girl closer and a corner of her mouth rising.

"It was bad enough when he dragged your shield," she told her husband, the pair of them merely smirking at one another while the other adults in the room had mild shock or amusement on their faces (depending on who one looked at). Clicking her tongue, she chuckled and said, "I dread the day he starts deadlifting the furniture."

"Don't worry," Steve remarked over his shoulder, crawling after his boy. "He'll have a spotter."

The brunette woman chuckled, planting a peck in the baby's hair.

"Both you little munchkins will," she said, recalling how Iris had the same strength hidden in her genetics as well. Kissing the baby's cheek, she cradled Iris close and stood up, following her family over to the tree. Grant had set down the box, clapping happily as his father ripped open the lids and helped him extract a few of the toy trains inside. Holly knelt beside her husband, and the picture they painted was enough to make Tony grin to himself.

Maybe the night would end better than it had begun.

William Potts, seated on the opposite couch, snorted into his drink before throwing the remaining contents down his throat. He was well and truly buzzed at that point, swimming in the good food and the less-than-pleasant atmosphere surrounding him. There was no way he could have kept silent, even if he would have liked to pretend otherwise.

"Pfft. Little mutants, more like," he mumbled.

Across the room, Steve froze, his advanced hearing catching every acidic syllable, but Tony whipped his head around, glaring outright at his father-in-law.

"What did you say?" he pressed, setting his cider to one side and daring the older man to repeat his mean-spirited words. Under normal circumstances, the guilty party would have just grumbled and backed down, but Williams Potts had been fortified by the scotch and the wine. As well as that, he was sitting on years of suppressed resentment and anger at the dark-haired man on the other couch. Shutting his mouth was literally impossible at that point.

"It's bad enough Virginia married and had her child with you," he groused, nodding to the open entry to the living room. Pepper was standing there, rocking Evie and conversing quietly with her mother. Purposefully keeping his voice low, but no less venomous, he grunted, "Now you're exposing our granddaughter to a couple of abnormal kids from a human experiment. Thought you were a genius, but I suppose that has its limits." Letting the point hit home, William sat back against the cushions, and scoffed derisively. "Then again, it's not like you had the best example growing up. Or really any example after eighteen."

It was at that moment that Tony was seeing red. The constant undertones of disapproval, the comments, the sidestepping and the eye-rolling, and now this? Insulting children, insulting his friend and even going after the memory of his deceased father and mother? His blood boiled as Mr. Potts languidly lounged, the smug look on his face making the itch to punch it squarely rise from his gut. However, he'd only gotten far enough to stare daggers and ball one hand into a fist before rapid movement pulled him up short. The former commander of the Avengers proved himself as fast and lithe as ever, positioning himself less than three feet away from Mr. Potts and crossing his arms.

"Excuse me," Steve almost growled, his tone absolutely fraught with repressed anger. William painted on an aghast expression, but the blond fellow was not having it. Spiking an eyebrow, he pressed the issue, "Whenever you'd like to stop badmouthing our families and shut the hell up, we'd all appreciate it."

From the other side of the room, Holly was outright grimacing, Iris held closer in one arm and the other wrapping around Grant protectively. The little guy, sensing the palpable tension ratcheting higher, had his wobbly lip going, and Tony frowned in sympathy. Realizing he'd been caught out, the faux look of shock on William's face slid away, the older man sinking back into the grumpy expression he'd sported all evening. Now, though, came the red of embarrassment in his cheeks.

"I, uh..." he muttered, glancing away to his son-in-law. The animosity was still there, but he clearly was looking to him to bail him out of the problems he'd just created. Tony flicked his gaze up at his (rightfully) infuriated friend, and let out a long-suffering sigh before standing. Taking one step forward, Tony motioned for Steve to step back, and once he had, the brunet man met his father-in-law's gaze once more.

"Get out."

William blinked, looking nonplussed. "What?"

"I said, get out," Tony repeated, raising his voice so that the others in the room could hear. He'd had enough; there was only so much vitriol he was willing to tolerate for the sake of his family, and he refused to stomach any more of it. When William gaped at him, his wavering jowls making him look like a fish out of water, he squinted and tilted his head to the left. "What, are you having difficulty hearing, old man? Or are you unable to understand what that means?"

William Potts snapped his jaw shut, fire in his eyes and the liquor in his system pushing him on.

"Still a disrespectful degenerate," he spat, hatred dripping out little by little.

"Can't be any worse than being a malicious narcissist," Tony shot back, deliberately ignoring the irony of the statement. (He knew full well he had the tendencies; he was working on it with his therapist, among other things.) Raising his chin, he reiterated, "I told you to leave. Now."

Instead of doing as the owner of the property wished, the older man stayed put, a slow and evil grin stretching his lips.

"Go ahead, try to throw me out. Wouldn't it be a shame if somehow all those news networks you kiss up to knew that you tossed your in-laws out into the cold, just because you didn't like them?"

Tony smirked back. So he wanted to play that game, did he? Well, too bad, since he was choosing to play against an expert.

"Oh, I never said your wife had to leave," the brunet man remarked, flicking his gaze over to where Barbara was standing. She appeared to be stunned at what was happening, while Pepper cradled Evie closer, a mixture of sadness and pride in her features. Resolve stiffened, he met William's bitter gaze again. "Just you. You can get out of my home, and better still, out of my life."

"You arrogant pile of—" Mr. Potts tried to shout, but the brunet man before him spoke over his building diatribe.

"You forget—which is another thing you should probably get checked by your doctor, along with your hearing—that this 'degenerate' has dealt with the paparazzi and press since the age of one day old. I know how the tides rise and fall with them, and guess what? Even if I gave a damn anymore about what they think, it won't affect anything but your ego." Here Tony narrowed his eyes, each word striking hard and fast. "And that is what I would take down. All I would have to do is forward the recordings JJ has been making all night to show them what a liar you are."

The blood in William's face drained away so quickly, Tony was almost impressed. From behind him, he heard Steve inhale deeply, could practically hear the Boy Scout in him wonder if he would have to step in and administer some form of recovery if he fainted. Still, he kept his mouth shut as Mr. Potts struggled to get to his feet, stepping up to get directly in Tony's face.

"You can't do that," he snarled, deep loathing in his tone.

Tony spiked an eyebrow, practically nose to nose with him now. "New York is a one-party consent state. Try me."

"Virginia," Barbara hissed, discomfort and displeasure outlining her features as she looked at her daughter. Gesturing to the arguing men, she begged, "Please, make him stop."

Thinking she was referencing her father, Pepper paused when her mom shot a glare to Tony, and the truth of her blame clicked into place. Pepper, gobsmacked for a second or two, eventually narrowed her eyes and thinned her lips.

"Mom, what do you expect me to do?" she asked, her voice strengthening with each question as she continued speaking. "Not stand by my husband? Let Dad continue to abuse our friends—who, by the way, have shown more support and understanding than either of you have in the last few months?"

The real fury in her tone caught her mother by surprise, and she began to backpedal.

"Honey, it's not like that" the older woman crooned, trying to smooth things over. "It's just, this is just how he is. He's just worried about you."

"No, he's not," the redhead countered icily. Clutching her baby girl closer, she rubbed her palm against the little one's back as she continued, "I'll be forty-two in a month. I've been on my own for a long time, independent and head of one of the largest tech conglomerates in the world. Any right he had to worry about my welfare is long gone."

While Tony could not claim to have grown up with the best paternal relations, he did know for a fact that Howard Stark had never given him the glare of pure ire that William Potts was directing at Pepper. He was only stopped from striking him when Steve grabbed his elbow, forcibly holding him in place when the older man advanced a few steps towards his daughter.

"Look at what he's done to you," William pleaded, his whining tone at odds with the thunder in his person. "Let you be threatened, kidnapped, almost murdered, forced you to have surgery—"

"Saved my life, made me feel whole, loved me and still loves me," Pepper undercut him, the intense feeling in her soul felt in every utterance. Nodding past Tony to the blond man still seething behind him, she murmured, "Saved the world, too. A couple of times. Same as the other man in this room you insulted. Dad, I don't know what your intentions were for coming here, but it clearly isn't to be my father, or be part of the family." She stepped closer, and she shifted her baby girl in her arms, holding her out so that William could see the infant's face. When he averted his gaze, it was like a whipcrack against her heart. A mild shake creaked out with her words, and she crowed, "You haven't even held Evie. You have barely even looked at her. Are you that ashamed of your granddaughter? Or are you just upset that we're all happy?"

The dreadful silence that followed spoke volumes, Pepper's incredulous stare reflecting at the man she called her father. Tony felt a twinge of protectiveness spark in him, and all he wanted was to take her and Evie away, far away. He dared glance back at Steve and Holly, the pair of them sporting fractions of pity in their gazes. Eventually, William huffed out a breath, pointedly pivoting away from his daughter.

"I don't have to listen to this," he murmured, the layer of rage solidified atop resignation.

Tears started to rim Pepper's eyes, and Evie shifted in her arms, little gasps given that indicated a crying attack was imminent. Clutching her close again, Pepper stepped back, sniffing hard and refusing to look at her father anymore.

"No, you don't." Nodding to the door, she kept her tone hard and unwavering. "Please, leave. Don't come back or talk to either of us unless it's to apologize."

Barbara, shaken out of her stupor by her daughter's pronouncement, reached for the younger woman.

"Pepper..."

Red-gold hair swung as Pepper turned away and stepped back from her mother, refusing to give any quarter. Her bright eyes, still laced with tears, focused on her, and she stood a little taller. She would not give way to her father, and she would not allow her mother to enable and excuse his behavior.

"And if you can't either, Mom, that goes for you, too," she declared, adopting what Tony liked to call her 'no quarter given' expression. The law had been laid down, and she would not bend or break. Her mother's hand dropped and her own expression soured, oscillating between a sulk and a pout. William strode over to his wife, glaring hard at his daughter.

"I raised you better than this," he spat, a look of pure loathing directed over to Tony. "Raised you not to take up with people like him."

"You have no idea who he is, or who I am," Pepper shot back, metaphorically meeting her father toe to toe. Raising her chin, she announced, "You have fifteen minutes to get your things and leave, or I'll have the Legionnaires escort you out. Your choice."

The two older people stared at her, utterly baffled and irate that she had stood up to them, refused to give way to their brutish behavior and wills. Slowly, William cast his glance around the room, harrumphing loudly before pivoting on his heel.

"And if you break something on the way out, you bought it," Tony called out, forcing him to pause on the threshold. An ugly look was thrown over William's shoulder to him, but the billionaire was beyond caring at that point. "And don't think I won't have the video and audio evidence to prove it."

He gestured expansively, indicating the ever-present UI that had been an invisible presence all evening. The older man grumbled, and the clink of dog tags and nails clattered from the hall. The small corgi had reappeared, having gone off to nap elsewhere in the house during dinner. Sniffing the air, the little dog bristled visibly, staring at the older man and baring her teeth as she began to growl. Latching his focus onto her, the air in the room became that much thicker with tension.

"Get out of my way, you little beast," William snapped, taking a step towards the small animal. Fire ignited in Steve's eyes, but it was Holly's voice that cut across the room, cold and furious.

"You touch my dog, you will be answering for it," she told the older man, the little boy in her arm breaking free and running right to his father. He was scooped up quickly, crying about the 'mean man' and his father rubbing his back. Holly followed while still holding the baby, taking her cellphone out of her pocket and holding it up for emphasis. "I have no trouble calling the authorities myself."

Another flash of indignation flickered over the older man's face, but when the bigger and taller blond man glared at him, silently backing up his wife, he said nothing. Steve whistled, and Bonnie's throaty growls abated, heeding her master's command and trotting over to him. The older couple slowly made their way to the front entry, coats pulled on and disparaging looks giving to their daughter and the man they both saw as the interloper in their lives. They were out the door before the end of the time limit given, their car out the gates before much longer.

In the silence that followed, Pepper had bowed her head, pressing a kiss to her baby's cheek and rocking her through her cries. Tony went to her, taking both in his arms. A few stray tears hit his collar, and he knew at once that his wife was letting out the tears, years of frustration and disappointment in every drop.

Soon enough, Evie had calmed, and Pepper raised her head, looking over at their friends. Holly and Steve had seated themselves on one of the couches, Iris and Grant still in their arms and Bonnie sitting protectively at their feet.

"...I am so sorry," the older woman breathed, hiccuping once as she tried to calm herself further.

Holly shook her head, not wanting her to feel guilty in the slightest. "It's not your fault, Pepper. I didn't, I didn't know he was..."

She let the thought trail away, uncertain of how it would be received. Taking another deep breath, Pepper went to the opposite couch, Tony guiding her to sit safely with the baby before doing so himself.

"He didn't used to be," she was saying, sounding unsure even to her own ears. "Or maybe he was better at hiding it. I guess this does explain why I haven't really gone back to see them all that much for the last…ten years."

Memories of her childhood came to the fore of her mind: her father, always disapproving of her choices, never happy when she achieved anything outside of him or the family. Salutatorian, graduated with honors, becoming one of the top female CEOs in the world...none of it matter. Not when it wasn't "the norm" or up to his standards. And her mother, always pacifying, telling her that she was okay, that her dad was just like that, that he was her father and deserved her respect.

She snorted, the dawning realization hitting her hard and twisting her stomach.

Tony, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, squeezed a little, and she looked up. The sympathy, the empathy, in his irises buoyed her more than she could express. Coughing once, he attempted to smirk, lessen the burdens on her shoulders.

"I guess you're going to be joining me for therapy now, huh?" he tried to joke, but even as he did so, it fell a little flat.

Still, Pepper managed a wan grin for him, the ruefulness in her tone unmistakable.

"Yeah, I think I will."

They all sat in the silence, the Christmas playlist JJ had been running all day still playing in the background. As Nat King Cole switched to the Beatles, Tony cleared his throat again, shaking his head.

"Well…it's still Christmas, and I for one would rather take some cheery crap over the other stuff for the time being," he declared, kissing his wife's cheek before standing. Looking at Grant, he held out his hand to the little guy. "Let's get you some cookies, kiddo."

At once, the child perked up, wiggling to get out of his father's arms.

"Yeah, Unca Ton!" he cried, hopping down and taking the older man's hand.

The tension in the air was breaking, and Pepper finally relaxed in her seat, as if she had been holding her breath all day long. Steve and Holly smiled at their son's enthusiasm, silently nodded approval when Tony looked over their son's head and non-verbally asked permission to do so. Pepper looked at them for a moment longer, and sniffed once more.

She was glad they had come, all things considered. She was glad to be among the friends and the family that she had made.

A plate of cookies was brought over, set upon one of the end tables for them all to indulge in. Grant had a few more presents left to open, and he happily set about his task. More toys, and a couple books, came to hand for him, followed by him opening his little sister's gifts. Evie also had a few things from her Uncle Steve and Aunt Holly, a warm afghan for when she was older and a couple of toys, too (a plastic tool kit to play with once she could, and Tony mimed wiping away a tear of joy). The baby girls were put in their bouncer seats near the end of the evening, already snoozing away. Likewise, Grant too was dropping off, snuggling against his father's leg and sighing in contentment. About to suggest they all head to bed for the evening, Pepper was stalled when Holly brought over a couple brightly colored gift bags.

"Here, we got you guys presents, too," she said, placing them on the couch beside the other couple.

"Oh, you absolutely didn't have to," Pepper intoned, blinking in total surprise.

Tony nodded, lifting his chin slightly. "Your presence is gift enough, believe me."

Steve chuckled at that, rolling his eyes, while Holly smirked and wrinkled her nose.

"Yeah, okay, but…" the brunette woman said, sitting herself down beside her husband again.

"We still wanted to thank you for inviting us," Steve supplied, the brittle edge to his smile gone, finally. Looking at one another, Tony and Pepper opened their gifts at the same time. For the mechanical billionaire, there was a framed print of the Buschi turbocharger patent and a novelty shirt sporting a kit car and the words "Car Junkie." And for the woman of all trades, they found a lavender spa bath set, the box tapping against the personalized leather datebook. It would be something she could use, Holly murmured, when she went back to work...less obvious than a pump, and both their husbands shared confused looks when they shared a laugh.

"Still a good gift," Pepper chuckled, the stress of the day finally melting away. Smiling, she nodded to Holly and Steve in turn. "Thank you, both."

Leaning back, Pepper cast a significant look to her husband, who inclined his chin and sat forward.

"And, I've gotta say thank you, too. Because otherwise giving you guys these would have been awkward without a prior exchange."

Reaching into his inner jacket pocket, he withdrew two envelopes, their names scrawled out individually. Innocuous as they seemed, Holly and Steve took them from him. Opening his, Steve felt his eyes widen substantially. Within was a note of promise, that Tony would fill out a check to match then next two semesters of his tuition and help reduce his student loans. Before he could utter a word of thanks though, he heard his wife's shocked gasp. Turning swiftly to look at her, he saw that her hand was shaking. Darting a look to the billionaire, he saw the suppressed smug pleasure in his eyes, and the former commander had to ask Holly multiple times what it was.

It also was a note of promise...that she would soon be forwarded paperwork to assume a lease for a particular storefront in the village near the base.

"Tony…" the younger woman started, her voice failing her. The brunet fellow shrugged, scratching at his goatee.

"It will take the lawyers a few days to reconcile the paperwork, but once it is, all you'll have to do is sign." He cocked his head to the left, and continued, "And then we can talk about inventory, hiring, all that jazz in the new year."

Holly was still moderately tongue-tied, but still tried. "…You bought the…how did you…"

Her dark eyes fastened onto Pepper then, and the older woman smiled serenely at her.

"Technically, we bought it, from our joint account," Tony explained, nodding to his wife. Turning his palms out and cupping the air, he proclaimed, "Kinda shocking who will and won't do business right before a holiday. Still, it will be an interesting endeavor; never had personal stock in a bookstore before."

The brunette woman was still gaping at them both, eventually turning to Steve with a broad smile and laughing with pure joy. Steve laughed, too, something in his gut loosening as she started to cry while still grinning. Reaching up, he swiped away her tears with his thumb, utter gratefulness in his own gaze as he looked at his friend.

"I think you broke my wife, Tony," he teased, softening his words with a nod of gratitude. "Thank you."

Holly got up then, bending and locking Tony in a full-on hug, stunning the billionaire briefly. After patting her back a few times, he coaxed her into letting go, turning her back to her husband. At once she sat beside Steve again, excitedly chattering about the changes that would be made in their lives, about what she would want to tackle first once all the paperwork was finalized.

On their couch, Pepper leaned closer to her husband, grinning broadly.

"That's more proof, you know," she whispered. Tony shot her a look, and clicked his tongue.

"That my ears work properly?" he retorted, the corner of his mouth curving up. The sincerity in her irises, though, caused him to nod. Noticing the heart pendant she was wearing, the shards of the shrapnel that had been in him morphed into something beautiful, he hushed his voice as well. "I know, Pep, I know."

His gaze focused on their little girl, snug in her bouncer seat, the smooth tone of Ella Fitzgerald filtering through as the baby shifted in her sleep. Proof wasn't needed anymore; his heart was on display in that room, in the joy of his friends and the comfort of his wife and daughter.

All told, the day had ended better than it had began, and it only made them hope it would continue on.

* * *

 **A/N:**...Because who doesn't like Christmas in July?

Truth be told, I've been working on this idea for months, but it's only been in the past few weeks that I've gotten serious about it. I was just struck by the idea of Tony and Steve's families spending some time together, since they are now officially retired in the Of Time universe. And on top of that, Pepper Potts-Stark's parents would want to be part of that, too. I just can't shake the idea that Pepper's dad, in canon, probably doesn't like Tony very much. In this universe, it's quite clear to what level he doesn't like him, and how little he respects his daughter's choices. But they stand up for one another against him, and solidify their family.

And they have at least some physical support in their friends.

No matter what, I hope you all enjoyed it. Now that it's out of my system, I should probably head back to my other ongoing stories, huh?

I own nothing from the MCU, nor do I own any other pop culture references made in the text (Marvel comics, etc.).

Thanks for reading, please review, and I'll see you all for the next story!


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